Nintendo 3DS: first portable gaming console with glasses free 3D display
The Ninendo 3DS is finally out, complete with an autostereoscopic 3D screen and augmented reality support. the device was launched in February in Japan and a month later in Europe and North America.
Overview
The main feature of the 3DS is its autostereoscopic screen. Each normal pixel is being divided in two, one for the left and one for the right eye. Consequently, assuming you are holding the screen correctly in front of your eyes, the screen appears 3D without you putting on special glasses. The catch is, because there need to be two sets of pixels for every pixel you’ll actually see, the 800 x 240 screen is actually perceived as a 400 x 240 screen.
Nintendo 3DS also has a gyroscope and an accelerometer, plus two cameras in the back that can process 3D pictures. When used together, these additions provide a perfect medium for developing AR games that have you move around the house to get your gaming on.
Blue and black are the only colors available in North America - yet
Build
The 3DS comes with the already classic touch-screen to help menu navigation, except it has been vamped to 320 x 240 – up from 256 x 192 in the Nintendo DSi. The device also has a circle pad in the left-hand side – a new addition to the DS family.The pad’s rubberized surface and smooth slide make it very comfortable for the thumb.
The device has three cameras, all of them low-res, but there are two cameras on the back that can either shoot pictures in 3D or they can be employed in AR games for a more immersing experience.
The 3D screen is indeed wondrous, as you would expect from a screen that turns 3D before your very yes, no glasses needed. However, the 3D effect only works if the screen is perfecly flat at about 12 inches from your eyes. If you start moving the screen around, the effect fades off. Luckily, the Nintendo 3DS comes with a 3D depth slider so you can toy with so that whenever you need to bring the device closer or have it further from your face, the effect still holds.
The 3DS comes with WiFi, a Micro SD slot and a3-hour-long battery, alongside what seems like a small docking station to keep your prized possession while you’re recharging it.
The 3D display can be turned on and off as you see fit
Software
The 3DS has several software gimmicks up its sleeve to make you gawk in awe, like these guys are doing in one of the advertisements posted by Nintendo.
First is the 3D photo-shooting, however because the cameras have a low resolution you will quickly get bored with the novelty. Moreover, because of the autosterescopic nature of the files, you cannot view the pictures in 3D elsewhere than on the 3DS itself.
Second, the device comes alongside several cards that, when viewed through the 3D camera, start various augmented reality games and tricks.
Third, and probably more resourceful, is the Netflix support. Nintendo are still working on it and it’s not provided on the 3DS yet, but we are promised that future patches or versions will have Netflix support. If Netflix starts distributing 3D media, then third-party 3D games might prove a more competitive market with way better results for the consumer in terms of gaming content.
Notice the two cameras on the back designed for taking 3D pictures
Conclusion
To sum up, the Nintendo 3DS is an impressive achievement in purely technical terms: that screen there is undoubtedly 3D and you can see 3D content on it without the need for glasses. Other than that though, the device still needs work. At $249, it is pretty expensive. Also, we are hoping to see good games ported in 3D – something that did not happen yet – and also a way in which AR games can be played without the need to move my whole body just so my eyes and screen are constantly 12 inches apart and parallel. Should Nintendo manage to do that in the 18 months they promised we need to wait for the new installation, then there is reason to celebrate.
Availability
You can get the Nintendo 3DS from Amazon.com for $249. It’s in stock right now.
Nintendo 3DS video review:
He's a young Editor at AllTouchTablet.com. He's been passionate about computers for a long time now and his interest in everything binary pushed him to work as a freelance writer.
